Coming back year after year, Hellebores are perfect for brightening up shady areas, especially in winter gardens.

The Christmas flowering varieties tend to be white, with the purple, lime green and speckled flowering varieties flowering from the New Year into spring. For more saturated colours, look to the hybrids such as Anna’s Red or Ice n Roses, which flower abundantly.

Some species are also grown for their striking evergreen architectural foliage. Whichever species you go for, they’re ideal for a shady border or woodland garden and make excellent ground cover.

Being winter flowering, Hellebores tend to hibernate during the summer. To keep them at their best, remember to mulch in late spring and water over the summer months –  they'll happily bounce back in the autumn.

• Low maintenance plants
• Thrive in rich, free-draining soil
• Prefers a shaded position
• Feed with a balanced fertiliser in spring
• Mulch and water in the summer